Closure for containers



Aug; 18, 1936.

G. J. GEBHIARDT CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed July 16, 1934 Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CLOSURE .FOR CONTAINERS George J. Gebhardt, Indianapolis, Ind. Application July 16, 1934, Serial No. 735,480 9 Claims. (Cl. 22123) This invention relates to closures for containers which hold milk and other articles of food, and the object is to provide a device which may be applied to any container and which, when .in

15: use, will effectually seal the outlet of the container against deleterious influences. It is also an object of the invention to provide a device by the use of -which an opening can be made in a hermetically sealed container such as a coffee 10 can and also to so construct said device that it may be mounted .in the opening produced and held therein against dislodgement. Itis also an object of the invention to provide a device which v will include a can puncturing element and a her- 1'5' metically sealing element carried by the puncturing element. Otherv objects will appear incidentally .in the course of the following description, and the several objects are attained in such a device as is illustrated .in the accompanying drawing and the novel features .of which will be particularly defined in the appended claims.

I 'In the annexed drawing:

.Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device showing the same mounted upon the top 25 of'amilk bottle.

Figure 2 is .a longitudinal section of the. same.

vFigure'B .is a rear elevation of the device .removed from .themilk bottle.

.Eigure 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of the 80 holder employed in the form .of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and '3.'

Figure 5 is asectional view showing the device applied to the top of a can. t

Figure '6 is a detail section on the line 66 of 86 Figure '2. 7 I

Figures '7 and 8 are detailfplan views, partly broken away and in section, showing variations. When thejinvention is applied to a milk bottle I, I'em'ploy a clasp consisting of a single strand 40 of wire "folded between its ends 'to form a split ring 2 adapted to pass around the mouth of the bottle and having upturned portions 3 at the ends-of the split. The upturned portions B'merge at their 'upper ends into circular arms 4 which are disposed above and coaxial withthe ring 2 to encircle the mouth of themilk bottle, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The ends of the strand are brought close together'and then turned outwardly in parallel relation to form the terminals 5.

50 Around the terminals 5 are rolled or crimped the ends of a metal plate 6 which serves as "a connector for the terminals and prevents spreading-of the same so that the clasp will firmly engage the mouth'of the bottle and, aslong as it is '55 undisturbed, will remain in "position thereon,

The plate 6 constitutes a base member upon which the closure of my invention is to be mounted.

The device includes a puncturing element or awl which may be conveniently formed of a short 5; tube I having its lower end tapered and closed, as shown at 8, and reinforced by a filling block 9 which will hold the shape of the point when pressure is applied thereto to force it through a metal plate to puncture the same. Immediately 10:. above the filler block 9 a port H] is formed in the side of the tube and above said port diametrically opposite lugs II are formed on the tube, as shownmost clearly in Figure 3. When the awl is forced through a metal plate, the lugs will cause the puncture to have a somewhat -elon-, gated form or a circular form with notches, as indicated at l2, at diametrically opposite points of the circle, and if the awl, after being forced through the plate, be turned through anlarc of 2Q" ninety degrees, the lugs will be presented tothe underside of the plate at opposite sides of the puncture so that it cannot be withdrawn unless it be turned through another are of ninety .degrees or turned in the reverse. direction through the same are. In the upper portion of the tubular awl there is provided a longitudinal slot l3 in its side, the purpose of whichwill presently appear, and diametrically opposite the slot I13 a teat l l is formed'by striking up a portion of the 3() metal of the tube. Arcap I5 is disposedfacross the upper end of the tubular awl and a central guiding sleeve l6 depends from said cap and slidably encircles the tube, said stem beingformed with a longitudinal slot I! in its side to engage the teat l4 and thereby hold the cap to a rectilinear path when it is pressed down or permitted to rise and through the engagement ofthe teat with the slot any rotary movement'o'f the capand its stem will be transmitted to the awl. 40* At the side of thestem diametricallyopposite the slot H a projecting lip or tongue I8 is struck therefrom and this lip or tongue is alined with the slot l3. When the awl has been forced through the top of a tin can, shown at IS in 45, Figure 5 or through the metal supporting plate 6 when the device is applied to a milk bottle, the port or opening ID will be disposed below the punctured plate and the slot 13 will be'above said plate so that air may flowinto' the container to prevent the formation of a vacuum therein. This venting of the awl is also advantageous when the device is applied to a Emilk bottle because, although the port I 0 will not :then admit air into :a container, it'will admit air into 5-5;

dust or other deleterious elements cannot enter a the container toi contaminate the foodftherein,

the hollow awl so that there will be no suction holding the cap in itslowered position. A packin'g'ring 20 of'rubberi or other suitable material "is fitted on the awl above the lugs ,ll so that when the'awl has made a puncture in the top of a tin can and is'left in the puncturethe ring 20 7. will cover the puncture and seal the same so that i there can not be any leakage of the contents aroundtheawll 1 l Fitted upon the awl immediately above the packing ring 20 is, a collar' Zl which maybe solderedin place so as to be anchored and held against movement relative to the awl. From this scollarmext'end arms 2z between which is pivoted,

a lever 23 which projects beyond the, arms and? at its outer free end carries a" suction rcup M whichis' adapted to seat over. the pouringopens-j ingof thecontainer and seal the same so that I It will be understood that the device herein shown anddescribed doesnot take the place of the usual cap .25 which is commonly applied tomilk bottles after they are filled, but that an opening v 26 isto be cut into the cap and the suction'cup 24 is to be placed over saidopening; When the device i'siapplied to a tin can, an opening 21 is formed in the top of the can by forcing the awl 7 throughthetop and then withdrawingthe'awl; A second'opening is made in the top of the can V and the awl is left inthe second openin as shown in Figure'B The lever 23 is formed on its upper edge with an' extension 28-which is adapted to ride in the grooved underside 'of the opening of the container. 7 'When'the capris presseddownwardly the ensuing downward movement offthe tongue [8 will cause the lever to rock about its pivotand thereby lift'the suction cup from the pouring opening, as shown in Figure 5. Whenthe'lelver. is thus rocked by the downward :inovement of the cap; the cam projection 28 will pass through the'slot l3 which, consequently,

serves' as aguide to prevent lateral sway of the lever and holds it always in such position that the suction cup, will be properly alined' withithe pouring opening of the container. 'A' torsion spring is engaged atone endover the upper "edge ofsthe leverand at'its opposite 'end is fitted to holding lugs 30.0n thearmsZZ', theintermediate portion of the spring being coiled around the fulcrum of the-lever, as shown at 3i. Thespring thus'returnsi the-lever and the suction .cup carried thereby to theirnormal closing positions whenever the pressure on the cap I5 is withdrawn and a-very close sealing engagement between thesuction cup and the :closure of the container isthus-efiected; w

The'suction cup is fitted on the end of a light 7 rod 32 which is slidablyengaged between'tongues 33-struck up from theside of the lever, as clearly r 'g freeend" of the lever, as shown in the drawing,

'but proper adjustment of the device may some- I 7 shown in Figure 6; sol that the'rod may be ad- -iusted :longitudinally'of the lever to-bring the suction cup-into properposition to cover the pouringopening of the container. It is desirtimesa'carry the cup beyond the lever. If p it should befound in applying the devicestoran'y particular container that the rod 32 provided therewith'is too short to properly supportthe cup 1 75.

and, at the same time, bring it into proper posiing an anchoring element, a lever pivotally mountf V acting on the lever torock it to inoperative posi holder for said sealing device slidably mounted j on the leverifor movement'along the same,yield V V 7 ,7 2,051,138 r I V tion'over: the pouring opening, a longer rod may r be substituted therefor and it is contemplated su plying several rods'of different lengths with each device so'that they may be interchangeably used. 7 Y V The outer'end of the carrying rod'may be con- 'nected with the suction cup in any approved mannen In Figure 7 I have shown the rod as 7' extending across the knob 34 which is formed on the top of the cup and then bentreversely to form 1 a coil 35 encircling the knob', while in Figure 8 I have shown the rod as extending radially from r "the coil 36 which encircles'the knob. V V From. the foregoing description, taken in coni inectionwith' the accompanying drawing, it will be seen thatiI have provided an exceedingly sim- .ple device which may be easily applied to any container and, when applied, may be easily manipulated'to cover'the pouringopening'of the 7 container and thereby preserve the l freshness of the commodity in the container for, an indefinite 'period. Whenappliedto tin cans the device is,

as shown in Figureband as described, fitted directly to the top of the can but when it is'to be mounted upon a' milk bottle the clasp shown 7 in Figure 1 is employed toffu'rnish a'firm sup ort 7 f or the device without any injury. to'thejmilk;

bottle. I The device maybe very readily'sta mped out of sheet metal so that it is light and easilyi manipulated and when applied to afcontainer; it, willbe firmly held thereon so that it willnot be easily dislodgedand lost;

inoperative position, and yieldable meansacting 4m onthe lever to hold it normallyi'in operativeposition. V i f 1 2. Aidevicefor the purpose described compris ed upon the anchoring element,';a sealingmenrber carried by thelever and adjustable alongthe lever, yieldable means for acting on the'lever to hold the sealing device in operative position, and, 7 means mounted'on the anchoring element and tion. V o '3. A device for the purpose described comprising an'anchoring'element, a leverpivotally mount ed on theanchoring element, a sealing device; a

able means acting on the lever to hold the sealing 'device in operative position, andmeans mounted onthe anchoring element to turn the lever tom; 0

V operative position.

4. A device for the purpose .setjforthcompris ing an' anchoring element,- a, lever pivota'llyf mounted on the anchoring element, a: suction cup carried by thelever to seat over an opening, yieldable means acting onthe lever to holdthe cup in sealing position, and means mounted on V the anchoring element and acting on the lever 'in opposition to said yieldable means; i 1 r i 1 5.- A device for the purpose set forthcompris- 7 'ing a tubular anchoring element,'a lever pivotally mounted upon the anchoring 'elementand'having an extension on its upper side between its pivot and the upper 'end of the anchoring'element, a sealing devicecarried by the lever,; a spring bearing on the lever to hold the sealing device in operative position, and a member slidably mounted on the anchoring element and having a projecting tongue bearing upon the projection of the lever whereby to rock the lever to inoperative position.

6. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a tubular anchoring element having a slot in one side, a plunger mounted on the upper end of said element, a lever fulcrumed upon said element and having a projection at one end engaged by the plunger and adapted to extend through the slot in the anchoring element to be guided thereby, and a sealing device carried by the free end of the lever.

7. A device for the purpose set forth comprising 'a tubular puncturing element adapted to be forced through a metal plate and provided above its lower end with diametrically opposite lugs whereby a partial turn of the element will cause said lugs to engage under the punctured plate and retain the element therein, the element being provided with an opening below said lugs and with a slot in its upper end portion whereby to permit a circulation of air therethrough, a lever fulcrumed upon the tubular element, and a sealing device carried by said lever to cover a pouring opening.

8. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a clasp formed from a strand of stout wire and comprising upper and lower split rings adapted to partially encircle a milk bottle or the like, a plate fitted on the terminals of the strand of wire and held thereby, a puncturing element adapted to be forced through the plate and be anchored therein, a lever mounted upon said puncturing element, and a sealing device carried by the lever. V

9. In a closure for containers, an anchoring element, means carried by the anchoring element for forming openings in a container, a lever carried by said anchoring element, sealing means carried by the lever, and means carried by the anchoring element and lever for normally re- 20 taining the sealing means in operative position remote from said element.

GEORGE J. GEBHARDT. 

